Pastor of Word of Life Church where teen was beat to death turns down plea deal
NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. -- The pastor of a New Hartford church where a teen was beat to death and his brother brutally assaulted turned down a plea deal in Oneida County Court Monday morning.
Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara explained the deal recommended a sentence of no less than 18 years for Tiffanie Irwin.
Irwin has chosen to proceed with a trial. If convicted of second-degree murder, she could face 25 years to life in prison.
According to District Attorney McNamara:
Cases of this magnitude, when you're talking about homicide it's very common for us to ask for the highest charge in the indictment. Once we asked for a plea for the highest charge in the indictment the sentence is totally up to the court. We don't control sentence when we ask for the highest charge.
Tiffanie Irwin, the pastor of Word of Life Church, was one of seven suspects in the case offered a plea deal Dec. 7.
She was one of eight people indicted Nov. 24 in connection to the beating death of 19-year-old Lucas Leonard and assault of his brother, 17-year-old Christopher Leonard, in October according to the Oneida County District Attorney's Office.
The pastor, Joseph Irwin, David Morey, Bruce Leonard, Sarah Ferguson, Linda Morey, and Traci Irwin are all facing second-degree murder charges following an indictment by an Oneida County Grand Jury. They are also facing manslaughter, kidnapping, assault and gang assault charges. An eighth person, Daniel Irwin, has been charged with manslaughter, kidnapping, assault and gang assault.
The police investigation into the death of Lucas Leonard began the afternoon of Oct. 12 when New Hartford police officers were dispatched to St. Luke's Hospital for a reported gunshot victim.
After arriving at the hospital, investigators soon learned they were not dealing with a person who had been shot, but a person who had been beaten to death, according to a press release from the New Hartford Police Department.
Initial interviews with family members at the hospital led police to believe the crime could have taken place in two different locations -- The Word of Life Church, 3354 Oneida Street, or the Leonard Family Residence, 2347 Main Street in Clayville.
Police later determined the Word of Life Church to be the actual scene of the crime and executed a search warrant at the building later that night.
Members of the New York State Police Special Operations Response Team, The METRO SWAT Team, Rome Police Department SWAT team and New Hartford Police entered the building where they allegedly found evidence of Lucas Leonard's assault and a second, previously unknown, victim -- Lucas' younger brother 17-year-old Christopher Leonard.
The 17-year-old was taken to St. Luke's Hospital where he was hospitalized for injuries he sustained during the beating that allegedly killed his brother.
Police also say they found several young children at the time of the search warrant. The children were removed from the building and placed in the care of the Oneida County Protective Services.
Six church members were originally charged in connection to the death of Lucas Leonard and beating of Christopher Leonard.
The boys' parents, Bruce Leonard, 65, and Deborah Leonard, 59, of Clayville, were originally charged with first-degree manslaughter in the death of their son, Lucas, Lt. Timothy O'Neill of the New Hartford Police Department said.
In addition to the Leonards, police arrested David Morey, 26, of Utica; Linda Morey, 54, of Utica; Sarah Ferguson, 33, of Clayville; and Joseph Irwin, 26, who lived inside of the church.
The four suspects were charged with assault for allegedly beating the 19-year-old brother inside of the church.
Days after being charged, Deborah Leonard appeared in court to answer to the manslaughter charge.
During the preliminary hearing a New York State Police trooper who interviewed Deborah testified about her involvement in the beatings.
New York State Police Trooper Todd Grant said he spoke with Deborah and that she allegedly said she "struck her won with a chord."
Grant testified Deborah took a cord and demonstrated how she hit her son Lucas by hitting a table in the interview room after admitting she "struck her son with a cord." He added the demonstration was "violent" and "very hard."
Investigator Jason Nellis corroborated Grant's testimony, adding Deborah made admissions the night of the search warrant that everyone involved took turns hitting Lucas and Christopher, holding them down while they beat them.
Her lawyer, Devin Garramone, later stated she was "too meek" to stop the fatal beating at the church.
Like police, Garramone said he wasn't certain what supposed conduct led to the encounter Sunday night. But he said Deborah Leonard "had no idea how far it would be taken" and didn't have the emotional strength to oppose others in a church where she'd worshipped for 30 years.
"It looks like she went along with it, and it spun out of control," he said. "This woman is so meek and timid, she didn't have the temerity to stand up to them and say, 'You're not punishing my kid. You're not doing this.'"
Seventeen-year-old Christopher Leonard was hospitalized for days and his 19-year-old brother, Lucas, died after what authorities have described as hours of pummeling by their parents, sister and other congregants during a spiritual "counseling session" prompted by Lucas' desire to leave the church.
After a Sunday service that lasted from 11:45 a.m. to 8 p.m., pastor Tiffanie Irwin asked the Leonard family and some others to stay behind for a meeting, Christopher Leonard told the court as his testimony began.
His sister stared down at the defense table in a small courtroom that officials had rearranged so that Leonard would be a little farther away from her while he was on the stand.
This is what Christopher testified happened the night of the assault:
-- He went to Word of Life Church for Sunday service with his family. The service began at 11:45 a.m. and ended 7:30 p.m.
-- Christopher and Lucas were asked to attend a meeting with their parents, a few small children who went to the church and Pastor Tiffanie Irwin after the service.
-- He says the pastor told him the purpose of the meeting was to tell everyone what they had done. The boys refused to answer the questions and that is when the beatings began.
-- In the middle of the beatings, the pastor tells the boys to stand in the middle of the sanctuary where Lucas collapsed and was moaning on the floor. He says he noticed his brother was not breathing and began to give him CPR.
-- Father takes Lucas to the hospital, tells Christopher to stay.
-- While Lucas is being taken to the hospital, Christopher is told to lay on a bed at the church where Daniel Irwin, a suspect charged in the beating, gave him food and water.
-- The next thing he remembered is being escorted from the church by the SWAT team.
The pastor was arrested and charged weeks after the teen's testimony.
She was indicted on two counts of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, second-degree manslaughter, five counts of first-degree kidnapping, two counts of first-degree assault and two counts of first-degree gang assault.
This is a breaking news update. CNYCentral will update with more information once it becomes available.
SEE ALSO:
Police: Brothers assaulted at Word of Life Church were being "punished"
7 suspects in Word of Life Church beatings considering plea deals
Suspects in Word Of Life fatal beating now facing murder charges
Documents answer questions about mysterious Word of Life Church's background
Court Documents reveal beating at Word of Life Church may have been recorded
People protest to have Word of Life church closed
Town board votes to take civil action against Word of Life Church